A Chinese nuclear power station admitted Monday that it is dealing with a “performance issue” — after the US was reportedly warned of a potential “imminent radiological threat” due to a dangerous leak.
The French company that jointly operates the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant near Hong Kong first raised the alarm to the US Department of Energy last Tuesday, according to a letter obtained by CNN.
As well as the warning of an “imminent” threat, the letter stated fears that the Chinese safety authority was raising the acceptable limits for radiation detection to avoid having to shut it down, the outlet said.
It sparked multiple meetings of the National Security Council, with the Biden administration also discussing the situation with the French government, the outlet said.
Contact was also made with Beijing, although the extent of those talks was not immediately clear. Despite the alarming notification, the Biden administration does not believe it reached a “crisis level,” one of the sources told CNN.
The French-owned Framotome confirmed Monday that it was “supporting resolution of a performance issue with the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant,” saying it was “working with relevant experts to assess the situation and propose solutions to address any potential issue.”
“According to the data available, the plant is operating within the safety parameters,” it said, without elaboration.
Radiation levels in Hong Kong, about 85 miles from the Taishan plant, were normal on Monday, according to the Hong Kong Observatory, which monitors radiation around the city.
The plant issued a statement on Sunday saying “At present, continuous monitoring of environmental data shows that the environmental indicators of Taishan Nuclear Power Plant and its surroundings are normal.”
Électricité de France, the main owner of Framotome, said Monday that it had been informed of the increase in concentration of “certain rare gases” in the primary circuit of reactor no. 1 at the Taishan plant.
“The presence of certain rare gases in the primary circuit is a known phenomenon, studied and foreseen by the operating procedures of the reactors,” it said in a statement.
The utility said it is providing its expertise and has requested that the joint venture company that runs the plant hold a meeting of its board of directors so that management “presents all the data and the necessary decisions.”
The United Nation’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, told The Associated Press that it was aware of the media reports and was in contact with its counterpart in China.
“At this stage, the agency has no indication that a radiological incident occurred,” the Vienna-based IAEA said in a written response to questions.
The agency said it would share more information when it became available.
Chinese authorities in Beijing and Guangdong did not immediately respond to requests for comment Monday, a public holiday, the AP said.
With Post wires
